The invention relates to apparatus for electroplating the contact elements of encapsulated electronic components; it relates, more particularly, to apparatus designed to suspend such encapsulated components, and like devices, from grip means in the lower edges of substantially vertical webs of continuous, flexible conveyor belts which carry the suspended parts through the electrolytic bath where the plating takes place, preceded and followed by such preparatory and consequential treatment stations as may be appropriate to the particular plating process employed.
In the electronic component field it is well-known to manufacture discrete or integrated components which are, after the completion of manufacture encapsulated in an electrically non-conductive mass, such as a plastic, wax, paper or ceramic sheath. To permit the utilization of such encapsulated components, metallic contacts or leads protrude from the sheath. In the general practice of electronic component manufacture such leads--commonly of an iron or copper-based alloy--require plating before final employment.
Plating may be undertaken for several reasons; to provide corrosion resistance, to enhance appearance, and, most commonly, to facilitate interconnection with other electronic components by means of soldering. For the latter purpose plating with metallic tin is commonly employed, often preceded by a thin `flash` coating of copper in the case of leads made from an iron-based alloy. The leads may be in the form of cylindrical wires, more commonly they are flat tines punched from sheet material.